Misconceptions and Explanations
by shadowphantomness
Summary: AU. After the Final Judgment, Yukito misinterprets the extent of Syaoran's injuries, attempts to find an explanation, and comes to the entirely wrong conclusion. Shonen ai


Whee! No inspiration, doing challenges!

Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura belongs to CLAMP and Kodansha. This non-profit, non-copyright infringing fanfiction belongs to me.

Genre: Mystery

Words: Around 1730

Rating: PG-13

Canon: AU, kind of... although it could technically fit in canon… Confused! Yukito, Very Nervous and OOC Syaoran…

Notes: Eh… mystery is broad, so I decided on something non-canon that I'd like to see. Apologies for major OOCness, also apologies for misconceptions and guilt… and Yukito x Syaoran…

Timeline: Post-Final Judgment, but Pre-Sakura Card Arc… bout 4 days post Final Judgment

Title: Misconceptions and Explanations

Yukito tried his hardest to remember, but no matter what, he couldn't. After the archery tournament, the earthquakes had started, and he couldn't remember what happened but surely he couldn't have been unconscious for hours and hours?

And what _had_ Sakura-chan and Li-kun been doing at that shrine sometime in the early hours of the morning?

He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes tiredly, as he got up from his studying and made himself a small snack – he felt hungrier, too… he heated the leftover rice and chicken Katsu from dinner, and then went back to his studying, yet his mind kept straying…

_Why_ was it so important? Perhaps he _had_ really slept for that long… but he had fainted away, and there had been no reason for it, none at all, and all he could conjure was that it just hadn't felt right!

Yukito sighed. Perhaps he was thinking too much…but what did he have to lose, if he asked?

Perhaps Li-kun would know. After all, he had seen him throw fire once – and that was interesting, if unfair to Touya…

There could be no harm in asking, after all. He'd do that tomorrow, then, at school…

It was easy enough to find Li-kun. He was eating lunch alone, up in a tree. Yukito waved him over, and then offered to eat lunch with him. How could Syaoran resist?

He blushed and stared into his sandwich as if it held the answer to the world's questions, but everything was going fine until…

"Li-kun?"

"Y-yes?" His voice came out a bit higher than usual, a testament to his nervous state, and his face resembled an overripe tomato as he stared at Yukito, but other than that, he was normal enough.

"I have a question for you."

"A question?"

Yukito nodded. Syaoran took another bite of his sandwich, waiting. What sort of question could Yukito-san possibly want to ask him?

He decided to start on a different topic. "You know, Li-kun, I've seen you wearing green robes once or twice. They're rather nice-looking. What are they for?"

He swallowed. "They're my family's ceremonial robes."

"Oh, that's nice." Yukito smiled. "So your family… you're from Hong Kong, right?"

Syaoran nodded, vocal cords temporarily absent.

"Why did you come here to Japan?"

"I… my family sent me to find something very important." That was vague enough without being explicit and mentioning the Clow Cards.

"Have you found it?"

"Yes, but I lost it…" And Yukito _should_ know, but since he was Yue's false form, perhaps he had no memory of that time?

"That's disappointing." Yukito took another bite from his French bread. "So you're going back to Hong Kong?"

"Yes, as soon as school ends…"

"That's a pity! You haven't even seen the sights of Tomoeda, not really! You've been busy with school, haven't you? I know! Once break starts, I'll take you on a tour."

"R-really?" This was… unexpected, but if he had a chance to be alone with Yukito-san…!

He'd stay a few extra days for that!

Yukito smiled. It would be fun. He spent a few more minutes eating before he phrased his next question. "Li-kun?"

"Yes?" Chocolate brown rose to meet amber.

Yukito smiled. "Can you really throw fire?"

"Hmm? Oh…" Yukito-san had seen him attack Touya, hadn't he? He colored. "Well, I can do a little…"

"Could you show me?"

What harm could it do? He pulled out an ofuda… "Kashin Shourai!" A small spiral of flames rose from the ofuda. Yukito clapped.

"That's wonderful!"

It was a pity it hadn't been any use against Yue… no use dwelling on that now. How could he go back and tell them he'd failed?

Perhaps… no, he shouldn't ask Yukito! After all, how could he face Yue after… after…! His wounds still stung, although he had bandaged the four puncture wounds carefully after he had gone home…

"Li-kun?" The boy was being quite silent… "Did I offend you?"

"No! Of course not! You could never offend me…!"

"So magic really exists…" Yukito murmured to himself, not really acknowledging the second phrase.

Syaoran gave another rapid-fire nodding spree. Of course magic existed. Without magi, Yukito-san would not exist…

Apparently he didn't remember what Yue did…

"Li-kun… what happened at the shrine after the earthquake?"

Syaoran swallowed. He… he couldn't tell! Yue would kill him!

Yukito took off his glasses and began polishing them on his shirt. "You were there, right?"

"Yes… I mean no! Nothing happened!"

That was such a vehement denial… why wouldn't he tell? Something important _must_ have occurred!

So why wouldn't he tell?  
"Li-kun, it's important. I don't like losing my memory. Did something bad happen? Did I hurt you?"

It was just an innocent question, but Syaoran's hand automatically went to around his waist, where the crystals had sunk in… and Yukito didn't miss the movement.

So he _had_ hurt Syaoran… oh gods, had he… had he raped him? A child…

A choking feeling of guilt began to gather in his throat. If that was the case, then… then he didn't blame Syaoran for not wanting to divulge the information…

"Li-kun!"

No, no, please don't hurt me… Syaoran tried not to flinch, but even if he loved Yukito, Yue had… Yue had…

"Li-kun…Are… are you all right? What did I do?"

"It wasn't your fault!" Syaoran had to reassure Yukito somehow; he didn't _want_ to make him sad… "It's my fault for fighting!"

It's his fault for fighting?

He thinks it's his fault because he fought me? Gods, what have I done? "Li-kun! It's not your fault! I shouldn't have hurt you!"

"But you didn't hurt me…" Syaoran whispered, unable to control his shaking. "It… it wasn't your fault…"

"Li-kun…" He gathered Syaoran into his arms so he couldn't run away; he _had_ to get to the bottom of this! Even if he received punishment for his actions, how could he have hurt someone like that? It just didn't make sense, but even if he had been drunk, that still didn't excuse his actions…

Syaoran winced as Yukito's hand brushed over his stomach. "Y-Yukito-san…"

"What… did I hurt you?" Before Syaoran could protest, Yukito had yanked the boy's shirt up, and oh…! Bandages tightly wound around his waist, partially soaked with blood…. "I did hurt you! Don't lie to me, Li-kun!"

"But-but it's not important, not really…" Now what? He hadn't meant for Yukito-san to find out! And it wasn't Yukito-san's fault, as he couldn't control Yue's actions!

Yukito peered at Syaoran through darkened lenses. "I… how did this happen? I'm taking you to the nurse."

"But-!"

Despite Syaoran's protests, Yukito dragged him to the infirmary. The nurse was shocked, and whispered that the wounds were not self-inflicted, and looked to be made with a knife.

A knife!

He had taken a knife to him before – or had it been after the act? Yukito shuddered, staring at his hands. He had… with these hands…

"Was he…?"

The nurse frowned. "A child that young? You don't think-?"

"I'm not sure what I think any more. Could you check just in case?"

She nodded, and after a few moments, returned. "There were no traces, but if it happened a few days ago, he could have healed already – children recover much quicker than adults…"

"How is he now?"

"Honestly? He seems… traumatized, and some of the symptoms have been seen in abused and assaulted children… I'd advise sending him to see a psychiatrist… he flinched every time I moved towards him…"

Yukito nodded. "I'll take him home."

"Are you his older brother, by any chance?"

"Well… I'm a family friend."

"I see."

Yukito collected Syaoran, and kept an eye on him as he walked him home. "Will you be all right now, Li-kun?"

"Yukito-san, you really don't need to do this…"

"You're injured and possibly ill! Go to bed. I'll make you something." Yukito forced Syaoran to bed in his apartment and then began making beef udon, having found the ingredients in the refrigerator.

Did Syaoran live here alone? That might explain how he had been able to… with no other adults or children around… Yukito forcibly tore his thoughts away from that topic and focused on the preparation of food. Then, he brought two steaming bowls into Syaoran's room.

Syaoran was wondering just _why_ Yukito-san was being so nice to him, but decided not to contest good fortune. Unless by some miracle Yukito _did _remember what Yue had done…

Was this his way of making up for it?

He ate his udon slowly, not really hungry, but since Yukito-san had made this food for him, he wouldn't waste it! Then, he got to work on his homework, but Yukito-san didn't go home…

Well, he didn't mind if Yukito-san stayed the night!

Syaoran fell into a dreamless sleep, but around 2 A.M., Yukito caught him in the throes of a screaming nightmare.

"Li-kun! Wake up!"

"No! Leave me alone!" Syaoran thrashed, almost crying… "Let me go!" He had to get away, before time stopped and the Judgment Maker attacked!

"Li-kun, it's me…" Yukito watched as Syaoran's expression only changed into terror upon hearing his voice.

"Leave… just leave me alone!" Where were his ofudas? His pockets were empty… he was defenseless against the guardian and-!

He crashed into conscious thought as Yukito's shaking finally took effect. He blinked sleepily, before realizing that it had only been a dream…

"Li-kun…"

"Did I wake you up?" Of course he had. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to!"

"Li-kun, please… it's tearing you apart. Tell me what happened."

Perhaps it was the late hours, perhaps it was his emotional state, but whatever the cause, Syaoran found himself spilling the truth out…

Yukito took it remarkably well – somewhat. He looked so shattered at the end that Syaoran decided that it was better not to know, and in any case, he'd always have the memory of Yukito being nice to him, if only for a few hours, so when Yue erased Yukito's memory of the incident, he didn't say a word.

As it turned out, the moon guardian's spell was so strong that he had forgotten it was well… and neither ever remembered what might have been.

END FIC

Completed 6/22/05

I hate summer school…

Gods, angst again. Sighs Well, I'm done!


End file.
